


Book of Many Covers

by lilija_the_red



Category: S.C.I.谜案集 | S.C.I. Mystery (TV)
Genre: M/M, Somehow, jealous Bai Yutong, this is some silly every day thing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-27
Updated: 2018-09-27
Packaged: 2019-07-18 09:00:27
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,111
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16115141
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lilija_the_red/pseuds/lilija_the_red
Summary: It’s ridiculous. Being jealous is one thing. Being jealous of some inanimate object is something completely different overall and utterly ridiculous. And yet here he is.-or the one where Bai Yutong is tired of competing with a notebook for Zhan Yao's attention.





	Book of Many Covers

**Author's Note:**

> I woke up to some silly idea and here it is! Something lovely and self-indulgent. Enjoy!  
> thanks to frankisthegod, who let me shout at her after waking up and helped me figure some ideas out!

It’s ridiculous. Being jealous is one thing. Being jealous of some inanimate object is something completely different overall and utterly ridiculous. And yet here he is.

Bai Yutong feels like an idiot, even thinking about it. He crosses his arms in front of his chest and leans back in his office chair (not sulking). He thinks about Zhan Yao in the neighboured office, probably scribbling maniacly into his stupid book (again, not sulking).

The blaring of his ringtone interrupts his trail of thoughts and just like this they are out on a case. Zhan Yao, him and the book. Of course. 

~

“That’s all! Everybody get on with their work. Dismissed!”

Bai Yutong watches as his team hurries off and turns around, looking at Zhan Yao for the first time this meeting. And most surely Zhan Yao’s nose is buried in that god forsaken notebook. He surpresses a grunt and turns, off to his office.

“A small man intoxicated by success.”

Bai Yutong stops at Zhan Yao’s words and turns back. Enough is enough.  
He moves over, closely, towering down over Zhan Yao, who casually leans against one of the desks. His eyes are still trained on the pages in front of him.

“Bite me, then.” Bai Yutong spits out.  
That at least makes Zhan Yao look up. 

“If you can’t solve this case, I will.”

One stern glare and his attention is taken off Bai Yutong and back on the book.  
Man! He hates that book more and more. 

~

Not only that Bai Yutong has been summoned to his family’s house, where he had to meet his new-found cousin – who also is that newbie that almost got himself killed the last time they’ve met?! – now he’s alone outside, throwing darts at the board. When Zhan Yao was ordered to accompany him, he at least had hoped to get some kind of time together with him. But his hopes have been crushed fast enough. Now he’s outside, while Zhan Yao and that newb- his cousin are sitting inside. dAt least they are quiet, he tells himself. Which probably means that Zhan Yao is busy writing again which…  
The next dart hits the board with a little more force than necessary.

After some while he gives up and joins Zhan Yao inside. Just as he sits down on the arm rest next to Zhan Yao, who like foretold scribbles into his book, stops and gets up. Which is just… rude. He watches Zhan Yao change his seat next to Bai Yutong for the space next to Bai Chi and watches in horror as the book gets interchanged. This is getting better and better...

~

From then on it gets worse (or maybe he just pays more attention to it). Wherever they go Zhan Yao has that book on him. During meetings, on cases, even during lunch! Most of times he’s writing down things, thoughts, details people said – the hell, Bai Yutong doesn’t know exactly what’s on those pages! Sometimes it looks more like drawing than writing. Other times Zhan Yao simply reads.  
When Zhan Yao gets the notebook out during dinner in their apartment, it’s settled. 

The book has to vanish!

Battling for Zhan Yao’s attention at work? Fine! But at home?! Enough is enough, after all!

~

Stealing a book should be easy.  
Stealing a book, when you are a masterful and talended police? Should be even easier! Then why is it, that none of his carefully crafted plans seem to succeed?  
(Maybe because it’s Zhan Yao he tries to steal from, that sneaky cat.)

Zhan Yao almost never lets the book lay around and has it on him most definitely. In theory. But when Bai Yutong tried the classical ‘run-into-one-another-and-pickpocket’-technique, it’s not in the pocket Zhan Yao usually puts it in. It's not on him at all. Which is rare.

Distraction via food sounds like an amazing plan as well. But only if both of the persons involved stay unharmed and not, lets say, one of them burns themselves during dinner. Bai Yutong makes a mental note to avoid fondue and hot pots on the table in the future. He sighs and continues holding Zhan Yao’s scalded hand under the running water. (Taking care of that useless cat of his is more important than stealing that dumb book)

Finally – finally! – he succeeds to sneak off the book of Zhan Yao’s desk sometimes down the week! He’s beaming with pride, though he tries to downtone it. His euphoria is cut short though, as Zhan Yao walks into the office not more than an hour later with something neatly tucked to his side. A NEW BOOK. NO!  
Upon seeing it, Bai Yutong swiftly turns around and storms into his office. 

Unbelievable! He slams his hand against the drawer, where book #1 is hidden. (He didn’t look into what’s inside the book. Although it itches him to see what captures Zhan Yao’s attention all this time. He lets his fingers run over the drawerknob, considering it. But decides against it. Looking into the notebook feels like too much of a violation of Zhan Yao’s privacy.)

A knock on the door makes him look up. It opens right away, revealing Zhan Yao. Bai Yutong steadies himself and beckons him to come in.

“What?” He barks out.

“You stormed off.”

“I had something important to do.”

“You’ve been sulking for almost an hour. What is it?”

“I’m not sulking!”  
He’s not! He’s just… not in a good mood right now. Bai Yutong glares at Zhan Yao, who stays at the door, looking all unimpressed. 

“Well then”, he starts and holds up a piece of paper between his fingers. “I guess you have no interest in this.” He turns around, places the paper on the drawer by the door and leaves. Bai Yutong is stunned. What was that? Has Zhan Yao gone mad?

When he’s sure Zhan Yao won’t burst back in any second he gets up and heads for the paper. It’s a note. 

> You are too easy to read, little mouse. Open the last page. <

Bai Yutong reads. He re-reads it again. And again, trying to make sense of the words. Then it dawns on him.

Within a second he’s by the desk, ripping the drawer open. The book lays there, perfectly still. Of course it does. Zhan Yao is a psychologist, not a magician. Maybe Bai Yutong himself is turning mad, now? He hesitates before finally reaching for the book. It feels heavy in his hands. Slowly he opens the last page and…

Oh that friggin cat!

In neatly hand writing there’s written:

>Got what you've wanted?

Are you sure?

Zhan Yao – 1  
Bai Yutong – 0 <

**Author's Note:**

> alternative ending: there's a giftcard for a book-free day/dinner with Zhan Yao for Bai Yutong. Thank frankisthegod for that idea, which is just too good to not share


End file.
